Maradona’s Condition Improves
Diego Maradona was in critical condition Monday, breathing with the help of a respirator but showing signs of improvement after heart and blood pressure problems.
The former star, who led Argentina to the 1986 World Cup title, was hospitalized in the intensive care unit Sunday, hours after watching his former team, Boca Juniors, play in Buenos Aires.
The medical team treating Maradona, 43, said his “progress has been satisfactory” and his blood pressure was stabilizing. Doctors said they expected to issue an update today on his condition.
The Suizo-Argentina private clinic said Maradona appeared to be suffering from the heart-related condition known as cardiomyopathy, a disease in which the heart muscle becomes inflamed and doesn’t function properly.
In Italy, a note on the Napoli website said the club “wishes the great Argentine champion, who wrote unforgettable pages of Napoli’s history, a rapid and full recovery.”
Maradona played for Napoli from 1984 to 1991, leading the southern Italian team to two league titles, an Italian Cup and a UEFA Cup.
U.S. to Tune Up
The U.S. women’s team will play Japan in an Olympic warmup on June 6 at Louisville, Ky.
The U.S. will play Brazil on Saturday at Birmingham, Ala., Mexico on May 9 at Albuquerque, and Australia on July 21 at Blaine, Minn.
Not So Fast
Cameroon said it will appeal a FIFA penalty for wearing bodysuit uniforms during the African Cup of Nations.
On Friday, FIFA docked Cameroon six World Cup qualifying points, saying the team flouted warnings by wearing the uniforms at the continental championship earlier this year in Tunisia.
FIFA, the world soccer governing body, also fined Cameroon $155,000.
The African qualifying campaign for the 2006 World Cup finals in Germany is scheduled to start in early June. FIFA said it had been assured by Cameroon that the team would stop wearing the bodysuit after the group stage of the African Cup, but that it wore the same uniform in the quarterfinals, when it lost to Nigeria.
Two-Strike Pitch
Wales is making a third and final bid to have Russia thrown out of the Euro 2004 championship over a failed drug test.
The Welsh Football Assn. appealed to the Swiss-based Court of Arbitration for Sport to ban Russia from the June tournament and put Wales in the field in its place.
Russian midfielder Igor Titov failed a drug test after the first leg of the qualification playoff against Wales in November and played in the second leg.
Russia won, 1-0, on aggregate to secure one of the 16 places in Euro 2004 on June 12-July 4 in Portugal.
UEFA, soccer’s governing body in Europe, turned down Wales’ second appeal March 19. UEFA said at the time there was no collective punishment for a team when one individual failed a drug test.
Quick Passes
Tomas Rosicky, who broke his arm six weeks ago, will return to play for the Czech Republic against Japan in a friendly April 28 at Prague.... Bayern Munich signed Iranian striker Vahid Hashemian from Bundesliga rival Bochum.... French striker Djibril Cisse’s five-match international ban for aggressive behavior during an under-21 match against Portugal on Nov. 18 was reduced to four by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.... Feyenoord acquired FC Utrecht left fullback Pascal Bosschaart for an undisclosed sum, the Dutch clubs said.... Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes was banned for three Premier League matches by the England Football Assn. for pushing Middlesbrough midfielder Doriva in the face two months ago.... Hans Meyer has decided not to remain as coach of Hertha Berlin after this season.
